Audio slideshow: Hanson woman wins recognition for brother who died in Vietnam

Monday

Mar 1, 2010 at 12:01 AMMar 1, 2010 at 1:17 AM

Marine Pfc. Belmiro Tavares, was killed Oct. 2, 1966, while serving in the war in Vietnam. His sister, Vangelina Sampson, will see her efforts to have him recognized in town realized during a June 5 dedication ceremony.

Staff reports

Vangelina Sampson of Hanson turned 18 on the day her brother’s body was flown home from Vietnam.

Her brother, Marine Pfc. Belmiro Tavares, had been killed on Oct. 2, 1966, in battle during the war in Vietnam. He was 19.

Since that day, Sampson, now 62, has wished the town of Hanson would honor her brother, who she said was the first Hanson native killed in the Vietnam War.

“After all these years, it still bothers you,” Sampson said. “He fought for our country, and I just think that they should all be recognized, the ones that did.”

Sampson hopes the town will dedicate a town square to her brother, erecting a plaque with his name.

The ceremony would give his adult son, Joseph Leach, a chance to honor his father. Leach, who lives in Chicago, never met his father, who died when Leach’s mother was pregnant with him.

“His son is proud of him,” Sampson said. “He never met his son. I kind of think I want to push this for his son.”

The effort to memorialize Tavares began with a chance meeting outside Shaw’s supermarket. Two members of the Republican Town Committee, Tom Constantine and Richard Flynn, were collecting money to send care packages to troops.

Sampson told them about her brother.

“There was no recognition in Hanson for him and we thought that was kind of strange,” said Flynn, chairman of the Republican Town Committee and a town Planning Board member.

Flynn wrote a proposal asking the town to dedicate a square to Tavares. One day, he showed up at Sampson’s house with a map showing available squares in Hanson.

Sampson chose a square near the Indian Head School, which her brother attended.

Recently, the selectmen met and set a date of June 5 for the dedication. Leach plans to fly in from Chicago for the occasion, she said.

Veterans Agent Bob Arsenault gave her a copy of her brother’s military dog tags, along with a flag and other items to note his service to his country, Sampson said.

Now, she hopes that community leaders in Hanson and elsewhere will honor other fallen soldiers who may not have been previously recognized for their sacrifice and bravery.

“I’m just so excited,” Sampson said. “I’m just proud that they can do something for him, and proud that he was my brother.”